5 Cool Trends the US Got From London

Londoners are a cool bunch. They’re well-dressed, have posh accents and always seem to know what’s in. They’re also responsible for some new U.S. trends, from hot tub cinema and tea rooms to fashion and dry bars. Check out how the chic streets of London are influencing American life.

Music

Some of the coolest bands are made in London. Arctic Monkeys, a British rock band formed in 2002, has the fastest-selling debut album in U.K. music history. Their success has quickly spread to the states, mostly through fan-based online promotion.

Additionally, Londoners’ love of music festivals doesn’t go unnoticed. The Great Escape music festival is the place to go to hear undiscovered British talent—more than 400 up-and-coming bands join together during this three-day music extravaganza. The U.S. version of the Great Escape is South by Southwest, or SXSW. This set of music festivals and conferences takes place every March in Austin, Texas, and focuses on rising talent.

Entertainment

Imagine going to the movies and instead of sitting on those wretched fold-down seats, slipping into a piping-hot hot tub. Hot Tub Cinema is popular in London, and the trend has been spotted in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. You can create a similar experience in your own backyard by using a removable cinema screen and equipment from Hot Tub Works. Add a group of friends, and you’re well on your way to a great time.

Food

London’s hip gastropubs are known for adding surprising twists to old favorites, and these trendy restaurants have started showing up in the states. Philadelphia’s The Dandelion serves pub classics like lamb shepherd’s pie and bangers and mash.

Another British staple gaining traction in the United States is the classic tea room. Seattle’s Queen Mary Tea Room is the oldest independent tea room in America, and tea is served among exquisite Victorian elegance. Authentic British cuisine—think vegetarian quiche, steak and kidney pie and Cornish pasties—is served for breakfast and lunch, while dessert consists of crumpets and scones.

Nightlife

Dry bars are exactly what they sound like, and they are all the rage in the United Kingdom. Alcohol-free drink menus reign in these hot spots, and they’re catching on in the United States. Dry bars offer the social aspects of a night out without the pressure to consume alcohol, and no sloppy-drunk bar patrons, either. Stateside there’s The Other Side, a not-for-profit dry bar outside Chicago, and The Counterfeit Bar is set to open next year in Phoenix. This new nightlife option appeals to non-drinkers, recovering alcoholics and those watching their diet.

Fashion

London Fashion Week is held each year in September and portends the clothing trends for the following year. For 2014, Fashionista reported that “rebel chic” was popular among designers, featuring oil-slick finishes, cobwebby crochets and hardcore studs. Mojito green and rose-petal blush are hot as well, with ensembles that matched the purse to the shoes. It won’t be a surprise when we start seeing the juxtaposition of matching pastel-colored outfits and rebellious studded leather jackets in the United States. Looks like sweet is finally meeting punk.